Bowling game.



R. F. DOWNEY.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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COLUMBIA' PMNOURAPH'CQ.,WASNINIJTON, D. c.

R. F. DOWNEY.

BOWLING GAME.

APPLICAUQN FlLED 'FEB-1| 1915. 1,160,151 Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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RICHARD F. DOWNEY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO I-IGO LOEWEN- BACH, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

BOWLING GAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

Appncation 'med February 1, 1915. y sei-lai No. 5,356.

Toall 'IUI 0772615 may concern: Y

Be it known that I, RTCHARD F. Downer, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of lVisconsin, have invented cer-v tain new and useful Improvements in Bowling Games; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and e-Xa'ct de'- scription thereof.

'My invention refers to bowling gaines and has for its object to provide a simple, economical and effective game apparatus of the above described character.

The construction and arrangement of my improved apparatus is 'such that the pins are knocked down from a board upon which they are grouped, by a trolley-carried ball whichis suspended overhead and adapted to strike the pins as it travels from vthe point of play over the board in place of the ordinary manner, whereby a ball is rolled upon an alley.

Specic objects of my invention 'are 'to provide an overhead trolley mechanism for suspending the ball; to provide a ieXible trolley rail which is slightly inclined pwardly from the point of play tow-ard the group of pins, whereby said trolley will be returned to the player automatically; to provide means whereby the ball, after striking and passing through the pins, is returned outside the `field of standing pins, whereby such standing pins will 'not be knocked down upon the recovery stroke of the ball as it travels back to the player; to provide any form of token-controlled means for locking and releasing a manually oper-y ated pin set-'up mechanism, after a predetermined number of plays; to provide meansy for locking the trolley-supported ball after a predetermined number of plays, whereby the trolley-carried ball is held in Aone position to prevent it being shifted back and forth upon the trolley except when the a'pparatus is entirely released and set for play.

Vith the above and other objects in view the invention consists lin certain peculiari ties of construction and combination of Inechanical'elements asset forth hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings `and subsequently claimed.

In the drawings Figure l represents a diagrammatic elevation of a bowling apparatus embodying the features of my invent-ien, p'I'tS being broken nl'i Stif/in more clearly illustrate various details of construction; Fig. 2, a detailed view of the rear end 'of the cable showing the trolley mechanism in its locked position with the pin b'all lifted; Fig. 3, a detailed elevation of a mechanism for locking and releasing the pinset-up mechanism; Fig. 4, a detailed section of the same, the section being indicated by line le-4 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5, adeta-iled'crsssection, as indicated by line =-5 of Fig. l.

Referring by characters to the drawings, l represent-s the ground line upon which rests a boxed pin board .2 arranged to receive the usual arbitrarily arranged group of 'pins 3, each of Ywhich pins is connected to a cross-head l by a ileiible cord or runner 4 that passes through an aperture centrally disposed with relation to its compari ion standing pin, 'to the bottom of which pin the runner a is attached. Hence it will be seen that from front to rear the runners are fY unequal lengths, whereby when the cross-head is drawn toward the operator a full stroke, all runners are rendered taut to thus' cause the connected pins to assume an upright position in alineinent over their respectivev board apertures. The cross-head 4 is mounted within the boxed pin board and provided with suitable guides 5, through which a 'stein 6 of the cross-head is adapted to yslideinterposed between one of the guides 5 and a collar 6 that is fast on the stem, is a. coiled 'spring' 7, the expansive force ef which coiled spring tends to draw the cross-head toward the rear of the pinb'o'a'rd, whereby all of the runners 4 are slaeked when the pin setting-up device is in its normal position of rest. A lieXible runner in the form of a cable S is connected to the cross-head Lland a lever S" that is positined at a distant pointfrom the pin board, at which point the game is played. The rear end of the stem 6 carries a pull pawl 9, which pawl engages the teeth of a ratchet-wheel l0 that is mounted upon a suitable shaft l0', the same being provided 'with journals, not shown, which journals are suitably aiiiXed to the walls of the box-like pin-board. In this e-iein'plilication of my invention'the ratchet-wheel is provided with twelveteeth and thus it is manifest that after' the seteup mechanism has been manipulated eleven times, the wheel will have made a complete revolution,

In order to lock the set-up mechanism after eleven manual operations, I provide the ratchet-wheel 10 with a stop-lug 11, which stop-lug is engaged by a pivoted locking tumbler 12. The engaging nose of the locking tumbler in this exemplification of my invention, constitutes a spring-controlled oscillatory aw 12, which jaw is pivoted to the free end of the tumbler1 proper and its movement in either direction is limited by stop pins 18, 13. Thus it will be seen that when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3, the nose or jaw portion of the tumbler is in abutting engagement with the stoplrg 11, whereby the wheel is locked against rotation, which rotation is imparted thereto through the pull-pawl 9 by a manual operation of the lever 8.

1n orderr torelease the locked wheel 10, I provide a magnet 14, which magnet is adapted to exert influence upon the tumbler 12, the said tumbler forming an armature for the magnet. The magnet is interposed within an electrical circuit a, that is interrupted by terminal conductors I), rb, which terminal conductors may constitute part of a tokenreceiving box located conveniently at the point of play, as shown.

From the foregoing description it is manifest that when a coin c is caused to travel over the conductor members 71 and b, it will close the gap therebetween and thus close the circuit, whereby the magnet is energized to cause the tumbler -12 to be momentarily lifted. The momentary lift of the tumbler will thus draw the jaw 12 clear of the stoplug 11, whereby the spring pressure of said jawL will cause the same to shift over the stop-lug and thus rest thereon, preventing the return of the tumbler to its normal position. rIhe player or operator, who is located near the operating lever 8, can now manipulate said lever, whereby the wheel is rotated one tooth in the direction of the arrow and coincident to this movement the runner-connected group of pins will be drawn to their vertical set positions with relation to the pin-board and, upon release of the lever 8 after a full stroke to effect the desired set, the spring 7 will cause the crosshead and stem to return to their normal positions of rest, as shown in Fig. 1, thus slackening all of the runners and placing the push-paw] 9 in a position with relation t0 the ratchet wheel for a repeat operation. l

The game is played by the operator from the distant point mentioned by manpulating a bowling ball 15, which bowling ball is suspended by a cord or runner 15 from a siutable trolley mechanism A. The trolley mechanism comprises a carriage 16 carrying front and rear wheels 16, which wheels are mounted upon a flexible track in the form of a cable 17 that is yieldably connected at each end to fixed points 17, by interposed coiled springs 17, as shown in the diagram. The flexible track 17 is slightly inclined from the point 0f play upwardly toward Vthe pin board and positioned centrally over the same.

In order to clear the ball from'inadvertently striking any upstanding pins upon the return movement of said ball after a play, I provide a shifting means, which shifting means is adapted to automatically lift the ball at the end of its play stroke above the pins. `With this object in vview the carriage 16 of the trclley'has pivotallff7 mounted thereon a springcontrrlled lock and release mechanism comprising a lifting arm 18, to the end of which is attached the ball suspending runner 15. A coiled spring 18 connectsthis arm with the carriage, which coiled spring is of sufficient -strength to overcome the weight of the bowling ball 15. Before the bowl-ing ball is manipulated in a play, it is drawn downwardly by the operator, whereby the coiled spring 18 is loaded and the arm 18 is locked in this loadied position by a lock and release trigger 19, which trigger ispivoted to a forward extension of the carriage and is provided at Y its'lower free end with a notch 19 for engagement with a pin 2O 'that constitutes part of the arm 18- The trigger 19 terminates with an upwardly projecting trip` finger 19, vhich trip finger is adapted to Contact with a fixed member 21 in the form of a cable that is positioned transversely 'of the track 17 at a'point near the rear end ofthe group of pins, whereby said trip finger is released after the bowling ball has completed its play stroke. vAfter crmpleti-ng said play stroke the ball is arrested by coming in contact with a flexible buffer-shield 22, which buffer-shield forms no part of my invention, being suitably suspended by stayrcds 22 from the pin-board, as shown. 'It is also desirable, after a predetermined number of plays, to lock the trolley mechanism in order to prevent the same frombeing tampered with when not in use and to accomplish the desired result I have shown a carriage locking lever 23, which lever is pivoted overhead in any suitable manner and formed with a spear-head locking nose 23 at its free end. The locking nose is lnormally held in suspension bythe weighted end 23 of the lever and said nose isfso' positioned as to engage a corresponding head 24,/ which locking head projects from the trolley carriage 1G. Y

Flexibly connected to the lever 23 bycable 24 is a plunger rod 25,;the cable being passed over a guide pulley 24', whereby its direction is changed to form a connection at the tail of the thrust rod 25. The thrust rod 25 is slidably mounted in suitable bearings within the box portion of the pin board 2 andthe inner end of said thrust rod is vare -ing thrust-rod 25 and force the same backward. The backward movement of the thrust-rod, owing to its yieldable cable connection with the lever 23, will thus cause the vnose 23 of this lever to be depressed into the position for engagement with the locking head 24E of the trolley carriage. Hence when the operator, by a throwing move-- ment, causes the pin ball to effect its last play stroke, when said stroke is completed the head 24 and lever nose 23 will be lockingly engaged, whereby the trolley is held in suspension at the terminal of its last strcke. It is also manifest that after each play movement of the ball, the trip finge:` will be engaged by the cross-member 21 to thus release the spring-tensioned liftingarm 18, whereby the ball 15 will be raised to an elevation above the heads of the pins and thus when said ball travels back to the point of play, due to the inclination of the track 17, it will clear all standingl pins. This device renders it possible, to play the game in the ordinary manner and the ball can be againv returned for the purpose of displacing any standing pins after the first roll or play. It should be understood that, owing to the fieXure of the suspension and carrying means of the pin ball, vconsiderable science and skill can be displayed in a play, as, for example, the ball may be aimed to strike any selected pin by deflecting said ball frcm its normal straight course. In this exemplification of my invention, after eleven strokes of the pin ball, the mechanism will all become locked and in order to renew the play a token must be dropped intothe box atl the point of play, whereby the magnet circuit is closed to cause energization of the said magnet to lift the releasing tumbler 12. The ratchet-teeth upon the face of the wheel or'disk 10 can be varied indefinitely, whereby the play may be restricted or increased in accordance therewith for a single token.

In order to automatically load the spring 18 which controls movement of the ballcarrying arm 18, I provide a tappet 26, which tappet is fixed to the anchor-post B that carries the runner or cable 17. The arm 18 is provided with a tail-piece 18, which tail-piece is adapted to engage the tappet when the trolley recedes to the distant point for play and thus cams the arm 18 downwardly whereby it is locked in its loaded position, as shown in Fig. 1. Thus it will be downwardly.

observed that this automatic means will set- 'the mechanism for play, whereby the parts are ready for the operator when the trolley tnavels back to the distant point for operation.

Referring to Fig. 1, attention is called to the fact that the trigger arm 19 is provided with-a locking nose 20 for engagement with the pin 20 of the ball-carrying arm, whereby said arm is locked in its upward position when elevate-d by the coiled spring 18. 'Ifhus the ball-lifting arm is held against vibration when in its elevated position. Owing to this locking engagement between thetrigger andball-lifting arm 18, it is necessary to ediect a release of the same prior to the arm 18 being automatically forced down to the position shown in Fig. 1 by the mechanism previously described. This release is effected by a tongue member 26, whichextends from the tappet member 26. Hence it will be seen that when the trolley returns to its position of play the arm 19 will frictionally engage the tongue 26,

whereby said arm will rock backward in ope position to its light-retaining spring. rlfhus the pin20 will be freed from the nose 29 .just prior to engagement of the tail 18 with the trigger 26, whereby thel arm 18 is forced The pin 20 is locked in connection with the nose portion 19 of the trigger arm 19 due. to the fact that the spring which controls the trigger 19 is now free to work owing to the factthat the tongue 26 at this point is provided with an offset, as shown in Fig. 5, to permit said ac tion. It is obvious that I may, in some in-. stances, dispense with the automatic mechanism for lowering the ball 15, in which case ,the same can be locked bv a simple pull f 1? down in oppositionto the coiled spring 18 after the pin 20 has been freed from the notch 20 of the trigger arm 19. i

In order to prevent lthe trolley 4from returning immediately after-a play stroke to 11 j.-

the 'point of playdue to the inclination of the trolley-wire 17, I provide a spring clip 2'?, 'which clip is secured to the post just rearward of the pin and board. The spring jaws of theclip 27 are arranged to engage a head 2 8 that projects from the trolley carriage, the aid. head entering between the jaws, whereby it is firmly gripped in a position to be locked by the locking head 24.

In order to free the trolley mechanism from the spring clip 27 after each play, I provide a release cable 28, which cablefis held in the form of a loop over the pin board bv a weighted cable connection 28. One

end of the cable 28 is guided over a pulley that when the trolley has come to rest at the rear end of the apparatus, a spur 24 of the head 24 will engage the looped portion of the cable 28 and hence, when it is desired to free the trolley, the operator draws upon the cable 28, whereby movement of said cable due to its engagement with the spur 24J, will cause the trolley to be forcibly disconnected from its engagement with the spring-clip 27 and after the trolley is freed it is obvious that it will, by gravity, travel to the position shown in F ig. l.

While I have `shown and described mechanism in detail for carrying out my invention, it is manifest that such details may be varied within. the knowledge of skilled mechanics without departing from the spirit of said invention. l i

I claim: l. In a bowling game having a vpin board. pins adapted to be arbitrarily grouped thereon, mechanical means for grouping the pins Iin their set positions upon the board, an overhead iexible track, and a ball-carrying trolley mountedupon the track; the combination of a ball-lifting mechanism carried by the trolley, a ball-suspending means carried thereby, a lock and release trigger mechanism for the ball-lifting means, and a trigger-releasing means positioned over the pin board.

2. In a bowling game having a pin board, pins adapted to be arbitrarily grouped thereon, mechanical means for grouping the pins in their set positions upon the board, an overhead flexible track, and aball-carrying trolley mounted upon the track; the combination of a spring-controlled ball-lifting arm carriedby the trollev, a ball-suspending means'therefor, a lock and release trigger mechanism for the ball-lifting means, and a trigger-releasing'means positioned over the pin board.

3. In a bowling game having a pin board,

pins adapted to be arbitrarily groupedthereon, mechanical means for grouping the pins in their set positions upon the board, an overhead flexible track, and a ball-carrying trolley mounted upon the track; the combination' of a ball-lifting arm carried by the trolley, a ball suspended therefrom, means carried bv the arm for oyerbalancing the weight of the ball, a pivoted lock and release trigger for engagement with the ar'm whereby said arm is held against movement during a play stroke of the ball, and a fixed member positioned over and rearwardly of the pin board for engagement with the triger. g 4. In a bowling game having a pin board, pins adapted to be arbitrarily set up thereon, an overhead track, and a trolley-supported ball suspended from the track; the combination of shifting mechanism for causing the suspended ball upon its return stroke totravel outside the field of the standing group of pins.

5. In a bowling game having a pin board, pinsV adapted to be arbitrarily grouped thereon, mechanical means for grouping the pins in their set positions upon the board,

an overhead iiexible track, a ball-carrying se'tting mechanism, an overhead track, a ball- .carrying trolley mounted thereon, and means associated with the electrically controlled pin set-up locking mechanism for locking the trolley with relation to movement thereof upon the track. A

7. In a bowling game having a pin board, lpins. adaptedY tov be arbitrarily grouped thereon, mechanical means for grouping the pins in their set positions upon the board,

an loverhead track, and a ball-carrying trolley mounted upon the" track; the combination of a spring-controlled arm7 aball flexiybly secured thereto, means for locking the arm whereby the ball is held at a low elevation, means for moving the arm to its locking position, and a trip means for the locking mechanism positioned over the pin board, Y l

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin in the presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD F. DowNEY.

Witnesses:

' GEoVW. YOUNG,

M. E. DowNEY.

Copies 0f this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing` the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C. 

